I was standing in the kitchen helping with dinner, asking my mom about my brother's doctor ' s appointment. They were testing him for autism(自闭症 ) . My brother, Captain, four years old at the time, had always been my best friend. We would wrestle, play games and have the best of times together, even though we were far apart in age. My mom told me about the appointment, but ,when she got to the point about the test, she stopped. I turned around and she had tears in her eyes. I stared at her, wishing she would say something , when I realized what that silence meant. My eyes got blurry (模糊的 ) and my breathing got very ragged. " The test was positive , sweetheart , " she said. I broke down, crying.
My mom was trying to cool me down, saying that Captain couldn't see me like this and I had to be a big girl , when the front door opened, and Captain, our three-year-old sister Cali, and my father came in. I walked out of the kitchen. I couldn't look at him. Everything had just changed. He was no longer that little baby brother who was just a normal little boy.
We had to move a while later because Captain needed treatment. One day ,I was standing in the bus line waiting when the " short bus" came and picked some kids up. The children in the other line started making jokes about the " retards(智力迟钝者) " on that bus and I felt a strange feeling in my stomach, ,which I had never felt before.
During a band class, my teacher, Mrs. Young, stopped our playing to give us some feed- back. " Guys ,we ' re playing like the kids on the short bus ! Come on!" I felt that same feeling I had in the bus line. The entire room was laughing when I raised my hand. " Yes , Alexis?" Mrs. Young asked. "I don't think we should make fun of the short bus, because there are a lot of people on that bus who have great personalities and have the same feelings as we do. And also ,I know some people on those buses and they are some of the most caring, sweetest, and smartest people , so I would appreciate it if you didn't make fun of them. "
Everyone stared at me. Mrs. Young apologized for the comment and then started the song again. What did Alexis think her mother' s silence mean in Paragraph One?
| A．There was no chance for Alexis to play games with Captain. |
| B．Captain was likely to miss the appointment. |
| C．Captain really suffered from autism. |
| D．Alexis had to prepare dinner quickly. |
Why did Alexis go out of the kitchen?
| A．Because she didn't want to help with dinner. |
| B．Because she would be much sadder looking at Captain. |
| C．Because she wanted to play with Captain outside. |
| D．Because she wasn't willing to meet a sick brother. |
What Alexis said to her teacher can be seen as a kind of .
| A．threat | B．approval | C．apology | D．condemnation |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Speaking up. | B．Giving up. | C．Looking .up. | D．Taking up. |
Science Daily—Kids may roll their eyes when their mothers asks them about their school day, but answering her may actually help them learn. New research from Vanderbilt University reveals that children learn the solution to a problem best when they explain it to their mom.
“We knew that children learn well with their moms or with a peer, but we did not know if that was because they were getting feedback and help,” Bethany Rittle-Johnson, the study’s lead author and assistant professor of psychology at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of education and human development, said. “In this study, we just had the children’s mothers listen, without providing any assistance. We’ve found that by simply listening, a mother helps her child learn.”
Rittle-Johnson believes the new finding can help parents better assist their children with their schoolwork, even when they are not sure of the answer themselves. Although the researchers used children and their mothers in the study, they believe the same results will hold true whether the person is the child’s father, grandparent, or other familiar persons.
“The basic idea is that it is really effective to try to get kids to explain things themselves instead of just telling them the answer,” she said. “Explaining their reasoning, to a parent or perhaps to other people they know, will help them understand the problem and apply what they have learned to other situations. We saw that this simple act of listening by mom made a difference in the quality of the child’s explanations and how well they could solve more difficult problems later on.According to the passage, a mom had better ________.
| A．give a kid some help when he is explaining his problem |
| B．just listen while a kid is explaining his problem |
| C．work together with a kid toward the solution to a problem |
| D．leave a kid alone when he meets a problem at school |
If she wants to help a child with his schoolwork, a mom ________.
| A．should know the answer to a problem first |
| B．should pay attention to the child’s feedback. |
| C．may not know the answer herself |
| D．should not interrupt the child |
Who will be the least help to a kid when he is explaining, according to Rittle-Johnson?
| A．The kid’s mom. |
| B．The kid’s grandmother. |
| C．A peer. |
| D．A relative the kid doesn’t know. |
Which of the following best gives the main idea of the passage?
| A．Children learn better when their mom is hearing their explaining. |
| B．Children learn better if they find the solution to a problem themselves. |
| C．Parents should not provide any assistance to their children’s schoolwork. |
| D．A mom should listen more to their children when they have problems at school. |
The Wife-carrying World Championship has been celebrated in a small town in central Finland since 1992. In 1992, the people of the town decided to restart some long-forgotten traditions. Back in the late 1800s, there was a robber called Rosvo-Ronkainen in that area. He was said to only accept men as members of his gang who proved their worth in challenges. At that time, it was also a common practice to steal women from neighboring villages.
This event is becoming increasingly popular. A large number of competitors, people, and journalists from Finland to Canada attend the Wife-carrying World Championship every year.
The event is famous for its warm and humorous atmosphere. The Wife-carrying World Championship is held on a 253.3 meters long official track. The track has two dry obstacles (障碍物）and a water obstacle, about a meter deep.
There are a few basic rules and the winner is the couple who complete the course in the shortest time. The wife to be carried may be your own, or your neighbor’s. The minimum weight of the wife to be carried is 49 kg. If she is less than 49kg, the wife will be given a heavy bag to carry. Each time a competitor drops his wife, that couple will be fined 15 seconds.
Alongside with the Wife-carrying World Championship, there is also a team competition. The distance is the same but three men in the team carry the wife in turns. At the exchange point the carrier has to drink official “wife-carrying drink”. Then he may continue the race. A special prize is awarded to the team with the best costumes.
While the Wife-carrying World Championship is being held, there are bands playing music, a wife-carrying dance and other forms of entertainment. The Wife-carrying World Championship is famous because ________.
| A．it is held on a 253.3 meters long official track |
| B．many competitors take part in it |
| C．it has a pleasant atmosphere |
| D．the winner will be awarded a lot of money |
If a husband drops his wife 3 times in the competition, he will be fined ________.
| A．15 seconds | B．30 seconds | C．45 seconds | D．60 seconds |
Compared with the Wife-carrying World Championship, the team competition ________.
| A．is more exciting | B．has a special prize |
| C．has a different track | D．has three teams altogether |
The passage is written mainly to ________.
| A．warn people that the competition is dangerous. |
| B．attract more visitors to the Wife-carrying World Championship. |
| C．introduce how the Wife-carrying World Championship has become popular. |
| D．tell us something about the Wife-carrying World Championship. |
Yesterday was my stepmother’s birthday. I haven’t been home for a long time, so I wanted to stop by the house to see her on this special day.
I have been struggling on a low income so I was afraid that I couldn’t afford the long trip. Gas is so expensive nowadays! Anyway, I filled my tank with gas and set off.
I stopped at a shopping mall and found a present. It was the perfect gift and I knew she would love it. But when I got to the cashier, my card wasdeclined! I didn’t have enough money in my account to pay for the gift!
So I pondered the issue for a few minutes. I could put it back and get something cheaper, but I knew there was nothing else in the store she would have liked as much. So, I got to my smart-phone and transferred some money from my saving account and was able to buy the gift. It took a big part of my savings but I wanted her to have something special.
It turned out that she loved the gift and I felt that even though I had spent almost all my money, my stepmother deserved the best. I was glad I gave her the best I could.
Before I left my parents’ house, my dad took me to one side and, with our secret handshake, he gave me some money. I hadn’t said anything to him about my financial condition, but I guessed my dad just knew it. When I got to the car, I saw the amount he gave me was three times what I had spent on the gas and the gift!
It goes to show that doing the right thing always comes with great rewards. Why was the writer unwilling to have a long trip?
| A．Because gas was hardly available. |
| B．Because the writer was short of money. |
| C．Because the writer didn’t like driving. |
| D．Because the road was difficult to drive on. |
The underlined word “pondered” in Paragraph 4 probably means ________.
| A．thought about | B．tried on | C．depended on | D．got through |
From the passage, we can infer that ________.
| A．the writer loves his stepmother very much |
| B．the gift the writer bought was loved by his father very much |
| C．the writer spend all his savings buying the gift for his stepmother |
| D．the gift the writer bought was the most expensive one in the shop |
Why did the writer’s father shake hands with the writer in secret?
| A．Because he wanted to ask the writer for something special. |
| B．Because he wanted to give the writer some money. |
| C．Because he knew the writer had been struggling financially. |
| D．Because he didn’t want others to copy their handshake. |
Scotland is a unique place, loaded with history, where you can find aristocratic（贵族的）palaces and castles, as well as the traditional parades in national costumes.
In order to see and discover the true soul of Scotland today and what formed the character of this splendid region, we have to go towards the northern regions, to the Grampian Mountains（格兰扁山区）, beautiful and plain. The Scots conquered the environment with simple spades and strong arms, for it was difficult to farm.
The history of this ancient struggle, and its people’s ancient love with the hard land, can be felt within the walls of the Angus Folk Museum. You are able to get a feel of the typical rural atmosphere of times past from the everyday artifacts displayed here.
From coastal Aberdeen in towards the Grampian Mountains there runs the Castle Trail, a road that touches on many fortresses（堡垒）, which are witnesses of continual fights against the control of neighboring England in Scottish history.
Perhaps the most exciting moment for Scottish autonomy is the one experienced inside this ancient church of Arbroath, where, in 1320, the Declaration of Independence was celebrated, at the instigation（鼓动）of King Robert the Bruce. He carried out the plan for autonomy drawn up by the great popular hero William Wallace, for whom cinema has designed the wonderful film Brave Heart, the winner of the five Oscars.
This is Glamis Castle, where King Macbeth and Queen Elizabeth used to live. Among the most frequent guests here are the predictable ghosts, if not actually created, by ancient popular beliefs. These have been handed down over the centuries by people tending to live with mystery, with the forces of the supernatural.
Another attraction here is a legendary monster: the Loch Ness Monster. Whether it’s real or imaginary, this monster, which has been nicknamed Nessie, has collected a good 3,000 sightings over the last 50 years.
The true flag of Scotland, tartan, is recognizable from the brightly colored plaid patterns which are used to distinguish the various social groups.
Bagpipes and dancing open the competitions of local sporting events, which are called Highland Gatherings.Take a look at the Angus Folk Museum, and we can learn about _______. .
| A．the love of ancient Scottish to the hard land |
| B．the rural atmosphere in Grampian Mountains |
| C．ancient Scottish people’s fighting against the enemy |
| D．the history of the Scottish famous palaces and castles |
What were the fortresses built for?
| A．Fighting against the invaders of England. |
| B．Developing business with neighbor areas. |
| C．Preventing the people from moving around. |
| D．Providing a shelter from tough weather for travelers. |
In the fifth paragraph, the underlined “the one” refers to the moment of _______.
| A．the film Brave Heart winning the five Oscars |
| B．the plan for Scottish autonomy being carried out |
| C．the instigation of King Robert the Bruce |
| D．the celebration of the Declaration of Independence |
According to the passage, which one is TRUE?
| A．The film Brave Heart is mainly about King Robert Bruce. |
| B．The Scottish film industry is one of the attractions of the land. |
| C．Highland gatherings are often marked with bagpipes and dancing |
| D．The supernatural forces in Glamis Castle may change a person’s belief. |
The purpose of the writer is to _______.
| A．advise readers to pay a visit to Scotland |
| B．teach students about the customs of Scotland |
| C．introduce cultural background about Scotland |
| D．analyze the geographic formation of Scotland |
A few months ago as I wandered through my parents’ house, the same house I grew up in, I had a sudden, scary realization. When my parents bought the house, in 1982, they were only two years older than I am now. I tried to imagine myself in two years, ready to settle down and buy the house I’d still be living in almost 30 years later.
It seemed ridiculous. On a practical level, there’s no way I could afford to buy a house anytime soon. More importantly, I wouldn’t want to. I’m not sure where I’ll be living in two years, or what kind of job I’ll have. And I don’t think I’ll be ready to settle down and stay in one place.
So this is probably the generation gap that divides my friends and me from our parents. When our parents were our age, they’d gotten their education, chosen a career, and were starting to settle into responsible adult lives.
My friends and I – “Generation Y” – still aren’t sure what we want to do with our lives. Whatever we end up doing, we want to make sure we’re happy doing it. We’d rather take risks first, try out different jobs, and move from one city to another until we find our favorite place. We’d rather spend our money on travel than put it in a savings account.
This casual attitude towards responsibility has caused some critics to call my generation “arrogant”, “impatient”, and “overprotected”. Some of these complaints have a point. As children we were encouraged to succeed in school, but also to have fun. We grew up in a world full of technological innovation: cellphones, the Internet, instant messaging, and video games.
Our parents looked to rise vertically（垂直的）– starting at the bottom of the ladder and slowly making their way to the top, on the same track, often for the same company. That doesn’t apply to my generation.
Because of that, it may take us longer than our parents to arrive at responsible, stable adulthood. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In our desire to find satisfaction, we will work harder, struggle for ways to keep life interesting, and gain a broader set of experiences and knowledge than our parents’ generation did.What is the main “generation gap” between the author and her friends and their parents according to the article?
| A．Their ways of gaining experience. |
| B．Their attitude towards responsibility. |
| C．Their attitude toward high technology. |
| D．Their ways of making their way to the top. |
Which of the following might the author agree with?
| A．It involves too much effort to rise vertically. |
| B．It’s better to take adult responsibility earlier. |
| C．It’s all right to try more before settling down. |
| D．It’s ridiculous to call her generation “arrogant”. |
What can we conclude from the article?
| A．The author is envious of her parents enjoying a big house at her age. |
| B．“Generation Y” people don’t want to grow up and rush into adulthood. |
| C．Growing up in a hi-tech world makes “Generation Y” feel insecure about relationships. |
| D．The author wrote this article so that others would be able to understand her generation better. |
What is the main theme of the article?
| A．Criticisms of the young generation. |
| B．The sudden realization of growing up. |
| C．A comparison between lifestyles of generations. |
| D．The factors that have changed the young generation. |